To prepare jars for pickling ensure they are clean by thoroughly washing them in hot, soapy water and then after rinsing the soap off you boil the pickling jars in water for 10 minutes.
Ensure the lids of the jars are also boiled separately to eliminate any bacteria that can spoil the pickled foods or pickles.
Then allow the jars and lids to air dry completely before filling them with the pickling ingredients.
Boiling the jars is important before pickling as boiling the jars before pickling sterilizes the jars and ensures safety for the pickled foods.
Boiling the jars helps destroy harmful bacteria hat could contaminate the jars and spoil the pickled foods.
Boiling the pickling jars is done by placing the clean jars in boiling water for around 10 minutes and ensure the jars are completely submerged in a pot of boiling water.
You can use pure white vinegar for pickling which is also known as distilled white vinegar and is a commonly used vinegar for pickling as it has a neutral flavor which will not overpower the other ingredients in the pickle recipe.
You can also pickle with raw apple cider vinegar and it will provide the pickles or pickled foods a slightly sweeter and milder flavor when compared to white vinegar.
To make a pickle solution you combine equal parts of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar and equal parts of water.
Then add around 1/4 cup of salt per cup of liquid and optionally you can add sugar for sweeter pickles.
Then heat the solution until the salt and sugar dissolve and pour over the prepared vegetables in a clean jar and store it in the fridge.
While sugar is optional you should always add salt to the solution for pickling.
The ratio of vinegar to water for pickling is 1:1 in most cases although it can vary depending on the recipe and your preferences.
You can also add some sugar and salt.
3:2:1 is a common ratio of three parts vinegar, two parts water and one part sugar.
5:3:2:1 is a safe ration that some people use when pickling.
The amount of salt you use for pickling depends on the food you're pickling and the type of vegetable and whether or fermenting it.
For pickling firm vegetables you should use a 1.5–3% brine, or 15–30 grams of salt per liter of water.
For pickling radishes, onions and cucumbers you should use a 5% brine, or 50 grams of salt per liter of water.
For pickling olives you should use a 10% brine, or 100 grams of salt per liter of water.
To calculate the amount of salt needed for your pickling.
You can weigh the water you need and add 2% salt.
You can mix 4 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of salt.
You can use 0.035 grams of salt per 100 grams of vegetable.
You don't want to use too much salt or too little salt as too much salt in the brine for pickling can kill off all of the bacteria and prevent fermentation.
Too little salt can allow harmful bacteria to survive.
The vinegar that is best for pickling is distilled white vinegar.
Distilled white vinegar is the best for pickling due to it's neutral flavor which does not affect the color of the vegetables and provides a clean, tart acidity ideal for preserving pickles.
Apple cider vinegar can also be used for some pickling and it will add a slightly sweeter taste to the pickled foods.
The reason why you boil vinegar when pickling is to help dissolve the salt and the other spices in the brine.
Boiling the vinegar when pickling also activates the spices flavors and achieves a more even distribution throughout the pickling liquid.
Essentially boiling the vinegar creates a hot brine that can better penetrate the vegetables and also ensure the proper preservation by killing any unwanted bacteria which may be present.
The high heat from boiling the vinegar also helps eliminate any harmful microorganisms which can spoil the pickled foods.
And boiling the vinegar allows the flavors of the spices and the herbs to fully meld together into the vinegar.
And depending on the food or vegetables being pickled, boiling can also soften the texture and it can be desirable for certain pickles and pickled foods.
Some pickling methods, such as for delicate vegetables will use a cold brine where the vinegar is not boiled.
Most quick pickling recipes involve the boiling of the vinegar mixture in order to achieve a fast pickling process.